A fiery matchup

at Ryder Cup

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (AP) — Bryson DeChambeau will be leading off in foursomes for the Americans at the Ryder Cup today.

Europe counters with the equally fiery Jon Rahm, who has never lost a foursomes match. DeChambeau will have Justin Thomas as his partner in the opening match at Bethpage Black. Rahm is with Tyrrell Hatton again. They were sent off first two years ago in Rome.

The other matchups are Ludvig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick vs. Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley, Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood vs. Collin Morikawa and Harris English, and Robert MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland vs. Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay.

Raleigh joins

elite ’60’ club

SEATTLE (AP) — Cal Raleigh has become the seventh player in major league history to hit 60 home runs in a season, launching two solo shots for the Seattle Mariners against the Colorado Rockies.

Batting left-handed in the first inning Wednesday night, the switch-hitting catcher connected off Tanner Gordon and sent a drive to right field that reached the top deck at T-Mobile Park for his 59th longball of the year. Then in the eighth, batting left-handed again, Raleigh hit No. 60 off Angel Chivilli — most in the majors this year. With a 9-2 victory, Seattle clinched its fourth AL West title and first since 2001. The only other players to reach 60 home runs in a season are Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds and Aaron Judge.

Skenes drops

ERA to 1.97

CINCINNATI (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes isn’t a big numbers guy, yet he does maintain high standards for himself.

The 23-year-old right-hander allowed four hits and struck out seven in six innings in his final scheduled start of the season on Wednesday night. While he didn’t figure in the Pirates’ 4-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in 11 innings, he lowered his ERA to 1.97.

Skenes became the first qualified pitcher with an ERA under 2.00 since Justin Verlander in 2022. He’s the youngest pitcher with a sub-2.00 ERA since 20-year-old Dwight Gooden’s 1.53 in 1985.

Stars captain

suffers injury

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn will undergo surgery for a collapsed lung, the team said Thursday.

In an announcement by general manager Jim Nill, the Stars said Benn was diagnosed with the injury late in its preseason game Tuesday night against Minnesota. Nill said Benn is expected to make a full recovery and be re-evaluated in four weeks.

The 36-year-old Benn has spent his entire career with Dallas and is entering his 17th NHL season.